Shuttle



(No M adel.)

A. M. LESLIE. SHUTTLE.

No. 459,965. Patented Sept. 22,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR M. LESLIE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHUTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,965, datedSeptember 22, 1891.

Application filed July 31, 1886. Serial No. 209,655. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR M. LESLIE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Shuttles and Bobbin-Cases, of which thefollowingis a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of the rotary shuttles andnon-rotary bobbincases of those lock-stitch sewing-machines in which theshuttle revolves or rotates continuously while the machine is inoperation, and to the construction of their tension devices andbobbin-retainers.

Its objects are, first, to render the shuttle proper more cheaply andeasily manufactured; secondly, to render the same at once light, Well:balanced, and adapted to pass through the needle-loops freely; thirdly,to retain the bobbin-case and therewith the bobbin by an easily-actuatedminute central retainer; fourthly, to facilitate adjusting atension-spring with the utmost delicacy, and, fifthly, to so adjust andto mask a tensionspring applied fiatwise with reference to the face ofthe shuttle.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofparts, some of them peculiarly constructed, as hereinafter set forth.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a magnified face View of a shuttle andbobbin-case illustrating this invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectionthrough all save the shuttle-spindle and bobbin and bobbin-case retaineron the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edge view. Fig. 4 is a face viewof the empty shuttle. Fig. 5 represents a section on the line 5 5, Fig.4.. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the bobbin and bobbin-case, partly insection, on the line 6 6, Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 represents a section of theshuttle-spindle and an elevation of the bobbin and bobbin-case retainer,double size as compared with the other figures, with the latter in itstwo positions of rest. Figs. 1 and 6 represent portions of Figs. 1 and Genlarged and slightly modified.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

The shuttle properA of this device has for its body a fiat annular disk2, of hardened steel, made and hardened separately and readily ground onits periphery and sides to fit it to the groove of the shuttle-race.Said disk is cut away to form the nose n and heel m of the shuttle.Within its circular bore Works a concentric-disk bobbin B and anonrotary bobbin-case O, (hereinafter termed the case,) which inelosesthe bobbin and tends to isolate it from the shuttle. I

In another specification of even date herewith (application filed July19, 1886, Serial No. 208,486) I describe such a shuttle having thenon-rotary bobbin-case swiveled in the annular shuttle-disk, so as to bepermanently attached, and I consider that shuttle a modification of thepresent invention as regards the shuttle proper.

In the particular shuttle to which this specification is confined anouter bobbin-case or cylinder y, of relatively soft (unhardened) metal,made and fitted with facility on a screw-machine, is fixed within saidbore of the disk .2, so as to rotate therewith. A pair of loop-spreadersl It are fixedly attached to said disk 2' at their outer ends a shortdistance behind the nose of the shuttle, and in connection with saidcylinder 3 they are at tached to its extremities at their inner ends, asshown in Figs. 1 to 5. In both styles of the shuttle the bobbin-case andbobbin are balanced to a considerable and sufficient extent relativelyto the disk by projections on its respecitve faces, and saidloop-Spreaders throw the needle-loops over the respective ends of thecase.

The outerend of the shuttle-cylinder y, corresponding with the face ofthe shuttle, is open, and a central hollow spindleoc is fixed in itsinner end and projects perpendicular thereto, so as to form a pivotalsupport for the case 0 when the latter is in place, as shown in Figs. 1and 2. Within theouter end ofsaid spindle I pivot a minute retainer 20,havinga notched effective portion, which in one position, Figs. 1 and 2,projects beyond the circle of the spindle, so as to retain the case Cand therewith the bobbin B, and in another position, Figs.

4 and 5, projects in line with the spindle,

so as to offer. no obstruction to removing and replacing the case andbobbin. Itisheld in its two positions by means shown in Fig.

7, where said effective portion or projection is marked 10 and two fiatholding surfaces at right angles to each other are marked, respectively, 10 and w. A follower o, with a spiral spring it behind it,acting upon said surface 20 as shown in full lines in the figure, holdsthe retainer in said effective position, Figs. 1 and 2. In turning itfrom this position, by applying a finger-nail to the notch of saidprojection 10 the spring a is compressed until the rounded apex betweenthe two holding-surfaces passes the center of the follower b, when,acting upon said surface 10*, the spring and follower tend to hold theretainer in its retracted position, Figs. 4 and 5, as represented bydotted lines in Fig. 7.

On the outer end or face of the case 0 a holding-arm a is fixedlyattached, so as to project into contact with somepart of the machinethat is stationary relatively to the motion of the shuttle and to apoint a shortdistance below the throat-plate, through which thebobbin-thread tis drawn, and a peculiarlyconstructed tension-spring s toact on said thread is combined with this arm, together with apeculiarregulating-screw r, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6. Said arm a is oftrough shape, with a cross-bar b, which is centrally drilled lengthwiseof the arm and screw-tapped to receive and coaet with said screw r. Thespring 5' is so constructed as to render a portion thereof inclined withreference to the depressed face of the arm, against which it is applied.(See Fig. 6.) It is also slotted near its respective ends to engage witha pair of studs 0 (I, with which the arm is provided, as means fordetachably holding it. It may be otherwise attached without materiallychanging it; but said inclined portion is a distinguishing feature ofthis spring. This coacts with a conical head, with which said screw 1'is constructed, so as to provide for great delicacy of adjustment and anice regulation of the tension, and with the spring applied to the faceof the arm the trough shape of the latter becomes essential and rendersthe spring and screw effectively masked against catching in theneedle-loops.

In threading the bobbin-case and tension device the thread if is firstdrawn through an open slit 0, Fig. 6, into a radial hole h in the caseC. It is then drawn into a peripheral groove 2', extending from saidhole h to the arm a, and. into an eye j in said arm beneath the spring5. Access to the latter is afforded bya slit 0 cut through the inneredge of the arm a, as shown in Fig. 1. From said eye j the thread passeslengthwise of the spring between thefree end of thelatter and the faceof the arm, being deflected under the spring in the threading operationby a rounded portion a of the inner flange of the arm. In the workingposition of the arm the tensionscrew r is vertical, with its head attop, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, so as to be readily reached throughthe cloth-plate opening for regulating the tension without removing thebobbin-case, and the thread in passing to the throat-plate of themachine is drawn against said stud c, which keeps it central behind thespring. A notched end flange a Figs. 1* and 6 may take the place of saidstud 0, its central notch serving to so guide the thread If.

I do not claim herein, in combination with a rotary shuttle and itsdisk-bobbin, a non-rotary bobbin-case having a cylindrical body whichcompletely envelops the edges of the .bobbin and provided with athreading-slit in its edge at the back of the case extending to a pointmidway between the disks of the bobbin, a peripheral groove leadingtherefrom to the face of the case, and a tension-guard and anupwardly-projecting arm attached tothe face of the case, the armcomprising two parts, one of which is a longitudinal spring, to getherwith a tension-screw uniting them, and one of said parts having a hookor threadingfinger masked by said tension-guard, and a guide-hole orslot into which the under thread is directed by said. finger,substantially as set forth; nor in combination with arotary shuttle andits disk-bobbin, a non-rotary bobbincase having a cylindrical body whichenvelops the edges of the bobbin and provided with a threading-slit inits edge at the back of the case extending to a point midway between thedisks of i the bobbin, a peripheral groove leading therefrom to the faceof the case, and a tension-guard and an upwardlyprojecting arm attachedto the face of the case, the arm comprising two parts, one of which is alongitudinal spring, togetherwith a tension-screw uniting them, and oneof said parts having a thread-guide atthe upper end of the arm, and oneof themhaving a hook or threading-finger and a guide-hole at theperimeter of the body of thecase, into which the under thread isdirected by said finger, substantially as set forth, because saidcombinations are claimed in the specification forming part of myapplication for patent filed January 13, 1885, Serial No. 152,761.

Having thus described my said improvement in shuttles and bobbin cases,I claim as my invention and desire to be patented under thisspecification 1. A rotary shuttle having its body com posed of anannular flat disk ofhardened steel having a marginal recess at one pointto form its nose and heel, while the perimeter of the disk takes theplace of the customary marginal flange, and a hollow cylinder ofrelatively soft metal fitted to the bore of said disk, substantially asherein specified.

2. A rotary shuttle having an annular fiat disk of hardened steel havingamarginal recess at one point to form its nose and heel, while theperimeter of the disk takes the place of the customary marginal flange,and provided with loop-spreaders on its respective sides, in combinationwith a non-rotary bobbin-case within the bore of said disk proj ectingon its respective sides and masked by said loop-Spreaders, substantiallyas herein specified.

3. In a rotary shuttle, a bobbin-retainer pivoted within the outer endof a hollow spindle and having an efiective projection and two flatholding-surfaces, the latter at right angles to each other, incombination with a spiral spring and a follower withinsaid spindlecoacting with said surfaces alternately, substantially as hereinspecified.

4. In combination with adisk-bobbin, a nonrotary bobbin -case having aholding-arm which forms an abutment-surface, a tensionspring opposed tosaid surface and having an incline on its back, a regulating-screw whichis vertical in the working position of the arm, having at its top aconical head which is conformed to said incline and coacts therewith,and a relatively-fixed tapped socket which receives the threaded end ofthe screw, substantially as herein specified.

5. In combination with a rotary shuttle and its bobbin, a non-rotarybobbin-case having a holding-arm of trough shape, its depressed faceforming an abutment-surface and its flanges supporting between them across-bar provided with a screw-socket, a tension-spring attached tosaid face of said arm and having an inclined surface on its back, and aregulating-screw working in said socket and having a conical head whichcoacts with said inclined surface, substantially as herein speci fied.

Signed at Chicago this 17th day of July,

ARTHUR M. LESLIE. Witnesses:

J AS. L. EwIN, WOLFRED N. Low;

